[Restyle]

Richard Hammond gives the Clubman a mention in his motoring column of Todays Mirror.
You`ll have to scroll down Past `Most Useful` - `Best Value` & `Most Beautiful` to find it though
Go on have a guess under What heading it comes under

The good, the bad & the future - Mirror.co.uk

[simeds]

the heading is the bit under the write up isn't ?

[Aurel]

Quote: Originally Posted by Restyle (original)

Richard Hammond gives the Clubman a mention in his motoring column of Todays Mirror.
You`ll have to scroll down Past `Most Useful` - `Best Value` & `Most Beautiful` to find it though
Go on have a guess under What heading it comes under

The good, the bad & the future - Mirror.co.uk

LOL ... these latest reviews from the UK are a real ****er. Were future wannabe owners and reviewers expecting SOOOO much space and extra utility out of something that grew a mere ... what? ... 10"?

Were families with 2 kids holding their breath for some type of "minivan"?

MINI said it before the release, THE CAR IS NOT MARKETED TOWARDS FAMILIES ... its just a larger coupe for if you might have a mountain bike or surfboard to throw into it ... and they got rid of the god awful butt of the R56 ... AMEN to that!

I mean really ... what were reviewers expecting?

Its still a very expensive small size car with updated looks ... practicality be damned.

[dalboyne]

Quote: Originally Posted by Aurel (original)

Its still a very expensive small size car with updated looks ... practicality be damned.

Sad thing is, I think quite a lot of potential customers were holding out for practicality.........

[Bhozar]

I mnage to fit two full sized full suspension mountain bikes and all the camping gear and stuff needed for a weekend away in the back of my R53 MCS with no problems. Both front seats go back as far as they like.

Tthe clubman appeals to me as it wouldnt be such a faff getting everything in. Its a bit like a rubix cube puzzle to get everything in at the moment.

The clubman addresses the main thing I dont like about the R56; its rearend is ugly on the R56. So much better on the Clubman. So much so that I really like it. The roof style is also nice on the clubman. I would take one over the R56 any day.

Users comments on here do remind me of the releases of the R53 GP and later of the R56. Only difference is, some reviewers in the media now agree about the downfalls.

The door thing seems like bandwagon jumping to me. Doesnt matter which side it is on to a huge degree, as its not really that much practical with kids than the standard R56. Are they really aiming it at families? Doesnt seem like it to me.

[KenL]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bhozar (original)

The clubman addresses the main thing I dont like about the R56; its rearend is ugly on the R56.

Nonsense

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bhozar (original)

The clubman addresses the main thing I dont like about the R56; its rearend is ugly on the R56.

Fair comment

(Don't you just love a balanced Forum )

[Bhozar]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tigger, Eeyore & Roo (original)

Fair comment

(Don't you just love a balanced Forum )

Its the only thing I dont like about it.

Yelove a balanced forum

[iain cooper]

In my opinion the mini is all about fun and sporty looks and that's what springs to mind when I look at my cooper............. or a mini one, dooper, or cooper s.

the clubman just does not convey that feeling and I just cannot see the point in the clubman at all ?

if I need more space, I would buy a Golf GTI or an Audi A3, and just would never ever spend that kind of money on a clubman.

it just does not make sense, and I totally agree with JC on this one, although I do not often agree with his comments.

[Darren Briggs]

I believe a Clubman can be as sporty looking as any R56 or earlier MINI model.
A basic MINI is not that sporty looking, its all about individuality by adding the graphics/body kits etc which make them unique and also far sportier.

It also drives with just as much fun, and corners just as well as my old MCS.
Regards the space, its personal choice if a Clubman has enough room for your needs. It has far more space than a standard MINI which was great for me rather than buying a 'Beige type car' Golf springs to mind

[iain cooper]

Hi Darren, good to hear your enjoying your clubman.

for me a sporty looking car is all about lines and balance, and you shouldn't need to add a body kit or graphics to make it "look" sporty.

very few estate cars can pull this off, although there are a few.

balance is the key factor, and this is what the clubman lacks. ( in my humble opinion of course )

[daro911]

Quote: Originally Posted by ideaexchange (original)

I took a look at JC's original review of the Cooper S - he seemed effusive in his praise but for three things - trunk too small, not enough leg room at the back and torque steer. He dismissed these as relatively unimportant....

Seems to me if this was the case he should like the Clubman.....

JC has probably since sampled a hatch fitted with LSD, hence his comments below, and very little if any torque steer but the Clubman he has clubbed so brutally I bet had no LSD

If so black mark for BMW letting a leaded right foot like Clarkson loose in such a spec Clubman.


"torque steer. I do not know why the Clubman is so badly affected when the normal car, with exactly the same engine, is not."

[Maurice]

Quote: Originally Posted by daro911 (original)

JC has probably since sampled a hatch fitted with LSD, hence his comments below, and very little if any torque steer but the Clubman he has clubbed so brutally I bet had no LSD

So, wait--was JC under the influence of LSD or was he not when he did the road test? (I kid! I kid!)

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

I'm not sure how a car of this price and power output isn't specced with an LSD as standard My "old" MCS had LSD as a standard part of the Chili Pack, yet it's now a £115 cost option on top of the Chili Pack

I would never have paid extra for it in the first place but, now I've tried it, I would never have a powerful FWD car without LSD again.

[KenL]

On the LSD, I am a bit confused about what it actually does for you.

I remember JC testing the Focus RS and saying the LSD ruined the car. He said it really made it a struggle to drive and it felt like it was going to pull you into a ditch!

Will try and find it on youtube...

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Quote: Originally Posted by KenL (original)

On the LSD, I am a bit confused about what it actually does for you.

Limited slip differential - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The practical upshot of this is that when you would normally expect a FWD car to scrabble for grip (especially when pulling away, or accelerating out of a tight corner), it just pulls without any fuss at all. Unlike traction control, it doesn't spoil all the fun by cutting the power, it just keeps on pulling away without any effect on the steering It even makes a nice grumbling noise when it's working! Come to think of it, my traction control light use to come on frequently on my Cooper, I don't think I've seen it light in 17,500 miles on my LSD equiped Cooper S

I would place it waaayyy above stability control in my list of wants for any car.

Tigger.

[daro911]

Quote: Originally Posted by harryboy22002 (original)

anyone wiyh a brain knows -he;s talking a lot of s===t

Yep and the good news is he is doing it again this first Sunday in 2008

Jeremy Clarkson Daihatsu Materia review | Driving - Times Online

[swamos]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tigger, Eeyore & Roo (original)

Limited slip differential - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I would place it waaayyy above stability control in my list of wants for any car.

Tigger.

Mate they are two totally different things! One is a traction aid and ones a safety device!

[Tigger, Eeyore & Roo]

Quote: Originally Posted by swamos (original)

Mate they are two totally different things! One is a traction aid and ones a safety device!

Yes, I'm aware they are different things but the "traction aid" on my MINI does a very good job of stopping my car from loosing grip and control on the steering wheels, without cutting the engine power or applying a brake the way that stability control does. Okay, stability control helps out in other situations too and I accept your point there.

The stability control "safety aid" does a very good job at keeping things in check on my sloppy handling Volvo, but feel it would be much less benefit to safety than the same "safety aid" would be if fitted to my MINI.

[Hyper Active]

Well Clarkson may not like the Clubman, but Top Gear has just named the Clubman as it's Small Car of the Year

Top Gear | Galleries